A big year in gaming is coming to an end. From the release of exciting titles like Metroid Dread to all things PS5, 2021 was full of highlights for gamers.

It looks like 2022 will be even bigger. The trends of this year will grow faster while developments in VR and social media will give gamers new ways to experience and share content.

Here are six gaming trends you will want to keep on eye on in 2022.

VR Gaming

A hot trend in gaming for several years, VR is only set to pick up steam in 2022. As headsets and accessories drop in price, more consumers are eager to unlock the power of VR.

Available VR titles are growing rapidly as game designers go all-in on immersive technology. The PlayStation VR store alone boasts over 670 different games.

Mobile gaming

Smartphones are due to outpace PCs in 2022, which means mobile gaming will continue to soar to new heights.

Mobile gaming revenue in the US topped $15 billion in 2020. The global segment is projected to generate $116.4 billion in 2024. Analysts see mobile gaming in China raking in $40 billion per year by 2027. The presence of cheats further helps the gamers to get easy wins which has helped to increase their popularity. One such is Warzone Cheats that goes 100 % undetected in the game.

Indie Game Makers

As the video game industry grows overall, independent game designers are faced with new opportunities–and challenges.

Grabbing market share from big manufacturers is never easy for indies, however, the surge of mobile gaming gives mom and pop shops easy distribution via the Google Play Store and Apple AppStore.

A precedent for big paydays is there. The top one percent of indie-produced games on Steam earned $7 million in 2020.

Early Access

The year ahead will see a huge focus on early access gaming. This trend allows developers to fix bugs and gauge the interest of gamers before releasing them to the masses.

Early access also gives indie designers a chance to raise money via crowdfunding while generating cheap promotion.

Online Poker

Revenue from online casinos is on pace to surpass $60 billion in 2021 as players turn to mobile devices to access their favorite slots and table games.

Poker is a big force driving growth. Poker has always been a social game. The online version is no different and even extends the ways in which players connect with one another.

For example, someone who logs in to play online poker in Pennsylvania can instantly compete against a five card stud pro from San Diego.

Short Video

Gaming audiences traditionally love long video content. The average length of gaming videos on YouTube is 30-45 minutes. That sacred cow could be due for an overhaul in 2022. Short-form video social media video sharing features such as Instagram Reels and TikTok compress content into irresistible bites.

Gamers have taken notice and are adapting their video content accordingly. Short videos are especially thriving among speedrunners.

eSports

The competitive gaming world will continue to grow by leaps and bounds in 2022 with revenue expected to top $2.5 billion, a 127-percent increase over the $1.1 billion raked in by eSports in 2020.

On the spectator side, there are currently an estimated 456 million global eSports viewers. That count could swell to half a billion by year’s end. The quest to have eSports recognized by athletic organizations gains traction in September at the Asian Games 2022.

Held every four years, the Asian Games 2018 handed out symbolic medals in eSports. This time around, eSports medals will be officially granted and count towards the winning nation’s medal tally.

Eight games including Street Fighter V,Dota 2, League of Legends, and FIFA are slated for the Asian Games 2022.